8 high-paying, nontraditional degrees

Different degrees, similar pay

Every year, the National Association of Colleges and Employers' list of the highest-paid college majors are dominated by a select few fields. This year, 7 of the top 10 highest-paid majors are in engineering alone, with computer science, management information systems and finance majors rounding out the list. But fortunately for students who aren't interested in these industries, those aren't the only lucrative degrees out there.

These commonly overlooked college degrees not only provide new grads with enviable salaries but they also include generous compensation packages, the ability to scale the corporate ladder and, in some cases, the opportunity to freelance or work from home. Though they don't all bring in mega-salaries, these eight college degrees do lead to jobs that provide serious bucks for their student loan dollar.

With average student loan debt running $26,000, savvy college grads are pursuing high-paying jobs to help them get out of debt fast.

While most of the highest-paid college majors focus on engineering, you don't have to ace calculus to get ahead. There are other lucrative careers to pursue.

Like to play video games? Designing for the console, computer and mobile worlds might be something to consider. The average salary for game design is about $75,000. Or if writing is your forte, consider technical writing � the art of explaining complex concepts to the lay person. The median salary for technical writing is $65,500, with the highest 10 percent earning six figures.

Do you have a scientific bent and love the planet? Consider a job in soil conservation. These workers dedicate their careers to keeping soils healthy, nutrient-rich and safe from erosion. Median salary for soil scientist is $58,740, with the top 10 percent of workers earning nearly $97,000.

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